Local News

Actor Val Kilmer on Wednesday apologized for comments attributed to him that many residents have considered derogatory toward Hispanics and veterans.

Under a heavy police presence at the old courthouse, the San Miguel County Commission approved Kilmer’s plans to convert three guesthouses on the actor’s ranch property in Rowe into a lodging business.

At a meeting last month, the commission delayed a decision on Kilmer’s request for the lodging business until he appeared personally to answer to criticism of his magazine quotes.

The Mora County Sheriff’s Department has two new certified officers in its ranks.

Americk Padilla and Amos Espinoza graduated from a law enforcement academy in Farmington last week. That brings the total number of certified officers to four, including Sheriff Roy Cordova and Sgt. Michael Benjamin.

Another deputy is expected to graduate from an academy in late August.

The department is also planning to hire another deputy.

Benjamin said Monday that having five certified deputies is likely the most the department has had at one time.

Last Thursday morning, I received a call from a friend and associate, “Lupita, are you sitting down?”

“What’s the matter? Tell me.”

“Well, I don’t know how to say this, but ....”.

I learned that a dear friend and former colleague at Robertson High School, Gary Leger, had been in an auto accident near Oklahoma. He was airlifted to the nearest hospital, in Amarillo, but died a bit later.

Prosecutors have dismissed a DWI charge against a West Las Vegas school district employee who crashed a district vehicle while allegedly drunk.

In late April, the district attorney’s office in Moriarty dropped the DWI charge against John J. Roybal, 41, West’s head mechanic. But in a plea agreement, Roybal pleaded guilty to careless driving and weaving between lanes.

As part of the deal, Roybal must take a defensive driving course and participate in a DWI simulation program.

The electric utility serving much of rural Mora and San Miguel counties is seeing a tug-of-war between members from Mora and Pecos.

During this Saturday’s annual meeting, members of the Mora-San Miguel Electric Cooperative will vote on a number of proposals that could affect the amount of influence that Mora and Pecos have over the cooperative.

Eighteen proposed bylaw changes are on the ballot for the more than 10,000 members of the cooperative. Voting sites will be in Mora, Pecos and Las Vegas.